


Stronger

by zempasuchil



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-23
Updated: 2010-01-23
Packaged: 2017-10-18 13:15:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/189247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zempasuchil/pseuds/zempasuchil
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Avatar Kyoshi, army brat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stronger

She grows up in hard boots and wears them softer as she learns how they should be worn.

She grows up by the sea first, and then at the foot of a mountain, and then by the edge of a canyon. When the storms come sometimes she hears the clatter or rumble of rockslides, and, afraid for their house, asks her father: Can't we stop it? With earthbending?

"It's part of nature, Shishi," he says holding her close. "Our earthbenders can stop some things, but we're not strong enough to stop everything."

Kyoshi frowns; she knows _someone_ must be strong enough to save the houses. One day, she promises herself then. One day.

At the age of eleven there is a ceremony, her coming of age ceremony, except Kyoshi's is different from her sisters'. It's longer, she thinks, and the priests talk a long time with her parents. In the end, they give her fans and ladies' shoes. She misses her boots; they made her feel solid and strong.

Soon after, she and her mother and her sisters move to the city, to Ba Sing Se. "We're going to find you an earthbending master," her mother says. Her father says, "I'll come visit you when I can." She holds onto him a long time.

She loves her lessons and the feel of moving the solid earth. misses the smell of the sea and the smell of the old leather boots. When she asks her Earthbending master if she can wear them, he asks her why. "Because my family's army," she says.

Very seriously, her master tells her, "You cannot be just this. You must know that all the nations are your family."

Kyoshi furrows her brow.

"But you're right, you need a new pair of shoes. Those aren't going to be any good."

"Earthbending shoes?"

"Exactly."

"Will they make me stronger?"

Master smiles. "Only you can do that."


End file.
